Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
208 / 519
Public-domain lyrics

Lady Mary Ann

Robert Burns

“Lady Mary Ann” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 208 1887 · historical text
Public domainScottish songSong lyrics
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Poetical Works of Robert Burns, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

O, Lady Mary Ann

Looks o'er the castle wa',

She saw three bonie boys

Playing at the ba';

The youngest he was

The flower amang them a';

My bonie laddie's young,

But he's growin' yet.

Verse 2

O father! O father!

An' ye think it fit,

We'll send him a year

To the college yet:

We'll sew a green ribbon

Round about his hat,

And that will let them ken

He's to marry yet.

Verse 3

Lady Mary Ann

Was a flower i' the dew,

Sweet was its smell,

And bonie was its hue!

And the langer it blossom'd

The sweeter it grew;

For the lily in the bud

Will be bonier yet.

Verse 4

Young Charlie Cochran

Was the sprout of an aik;

Bonie and bloomin'

And straught was its make.

The sun took delight

To shine for its sake,

And it will be the brag

O' the forest yet.

Verse 5

The simmer is gane

When the leaves they were green,

And the days are awa

That we hae seen:

But far better days

I trust will come again,

For my bonie laddie's young,

But he's growin' yet.

Credits

Written by Robert Burns

Words by Robert Burns. Historical text published in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887), “Lady Mary Ann”

Every text in this 1887 collected edition is by Robert Burns (1759-1796), who died more than 230 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination and a pre-1931 United States publication.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-25. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
Keep tracing

More from Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics.

01A Rose-budPublic-domain lyrics02A red, red RosePublic-domain lyrics03Address to a LadyPublic-domain lyrics04AdieuPublic-domain lyrics